21st Century Literature discussion

Discussion thread for chapters covering 1940 thru 1953 (end of book).

Going into this book, were you aware it was a trilogy and if so, did this impact how you read the last section (e.g., looking for a sense of closure)?

I did not know it was a trilogy until after I read it. When I found out it was a trilogy, I was glad to know I would get to know more about the second generation. But, I did not feel I lacked closure.

I'm glad to hear that, Linda! Thanks to this group, I did know it was the first of a trilogy going into it, and I did find that was in the back of my mind (wondering what Smiley might be setting the ground for), but I felt a sense of completeness to it.

One of the gals in my f2f group pre-ordered the next book and was so disappointed with Some Luck that she was sorry to have done so. She couldn't be at our discussion, so I don't know her reasoning in depth, but I think it was failure of either any characters or the action of the plot to seize her imagination. She is a copious reader, including of a fair amount of science fiction.

It'll be interesting to see how many readers in this discussion move on to the next book and whether those who do so would have made the same choice were it not part of book club/discussion selection. I don't plan to read the next one, but I probably wouldn't have chosen this book without the 21st Century Lit group selecting (not because I don't like Smiley, just because there are other books I want to read first and I own a lot of books I haven't yet read). I am curious how the whole trilogy will shape up.

I have the next book and planned to read it when I realized it was a trilogy, which was before this discussion. The discussion has caused me to think more deeply about the characters and book. I like family sagas. Not sure why this one is stretched across three books rather than one, e.g., Philipp Meyer's The Son.

Linda wrote: " Not sure why this one is stretched across three books rather than one, e.g., Philipp Meyer's The Son...."

The Son is certainly a strong contrast with Some Luck. Not sure I can clearly state the "hows" though. More development of specific and fewer strong characters? Exciting episodes? Greater and more dramatic conflict with the environment and the people in that environment? ???

I haven't been watching much of the "Downton Abbey" series, but what little I have watched has seemed more like what Smiley is attempting with Middle America -- the small stories of diverse characters in their historic settings, against the pulls of relationships, places, time, and personalities. With politics and technologies thrown into the mix.

A book that I think is closer to Some Luck from the perspective of looking at one family in one location is The End of the Point by Elizabeth Graver. The family is located in New England, rather than Middle America. It starts a bit later -- 1942 -- and includes the servants.

Period-wise, it is possibly the closest that we come to the actual influential historical moments in this novel. Death and danger are very close, but surprisingly the family at large is not restless and tormented by anguish or fear.
Partly, it is so because the events of WWII mostly did not take place on the American soil, so for Europe and Russia the events could have been much more influential and molding.

On the other hand, there are no strong emotions in the novel. I am sure they are present in characters or should have been present but either by the author's failure or by the genre of the family saga, they are subdued and very neutral. One would say the atrocities of the war could have helped to turn this part into an emotional roller coaster,but against all adds, the style is very neutral that irritated me significantly.

Zulfiya wrote: "...the style is very neutral that irritated me significantly. ..."

Yet somehow that seems fairly faithful to much of the Midwest farm country as I experienced it. Emotions were often dampened or denied. To some extent, the rigors of weather and hard work perhaps demanded an element of that. But I agree that I wanted Smiley to get below the surface and show us more. (Another place where I find myself comparing with Galsworthy, where also a surface calm often hid tempestuous inner turmoil. I ask myself about the differences in technique and character development by the two writers -- and wish for some lit professor/critic somewhere to weigh in.)

(Do you have a writer or book that you contrast with what Smiley does here?)

This is msg 44 in the Whole Book discussion:

I found the second book, Early Warning, much more interesting for a very simple reason: It takes place in the first 35 years of my life. I've enjoyed ticking off the major events of my generation and polished it of quickly. But I didn't find anyone to latch on to, to care about. It was very much a narrative. I also can't help but wonder if these years are more interesting to Smiley herself. She and I are very close in age.

Lily wrote: "Another place where I find myself comparing with Galsworthy, where also a surface calm often hid tempestuous inner turmoil"

Galsworthy is a good match for that style - a multi generational family saga with the proper British decorum of not showing emotions. On the other hand, some of his passages are very sensual - especially with Irene in the earlier novels. Smiley does not have the same sensual writing, which is again understandable - it is farm life, after all.

I do think the second book deserves a chance, but I really will have to like it to read book 3.

Not sure how I missed it, but I had no clue this book was part of a trilogy! I enjoyed the book but I'm not sure I'd pick up the second - like Marc there are too many other books I'd rather read first.